President Murmu’s Manipur Visit Raises Hard Questions Amid Unrest

PRESIDENT Droupadi Murmu arrived in Imphal on Thursday for her maiden two-day visit to Manipur, a state that has endured unrelenting turmoil since ethnic violence broke out in May 2023. Her arrival, heavily guarded and tightly scripted, may appear routine on paper, yet it raises uncomfortable questions about the timing, purpose, and sensitivity of such a visit. More than 260 people have been killed and tens of thousands displaced, but the nation’s highest constitutional guardian has remained largely silent during the worst phases of the conflict. For many, her presence now feels painfully delayed.

The President’s itinerary is packed with ceremonial engagements — attending a polo event, offering prayers at Shree Govindajee temple, and gracing an evening civic reception. On Friday, she is to witness the annual Nupi Lan celebrations and attend a programme in Senapati. These events may hold cultural value, yet they fail to address the pain of those who have suffered most. The question is simple: why visit Manipur without meeting the victims, especially displaced women and children whose stories of loss demand to be heard? For a state still smouldering with grief, such a visit risks appearing superficial, even dismissive.

The response on the ground reflects this frustration. Meitei militant groups have boycotted the visit, while Kuki civil society bodies in Kangpokpi — including Kuki Inpi Sadar Hills and the Committee on Tribal Unity — have announced their own boycott. They argue that the President’s schedule ignores over 50,000 Kuki people who have been living in relief camps for months. Visiting Senapati is welcome, they say, but avoiding internally displaced citizens only deepens the sense of neglect. Many now view this visit as an eyewash, serving the image of the ruling government rather than the needs of a wounded people.

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